On Street Parallel Parking is NOT Recognized by the ADA Standards

Does anyone with a reasonable conscience believe that a person with a mobility disability should have to stand in traffic to enter and exit their car?

20% of the American population lives with a disability. In my opinion, a lack of accessible parking in redeveloping downtown districts, perpetuates keeping people with disabilities “out of sight, out of mind” or NIMN, “Not in My Neighborhood.”

Fortunately, this lady in Asheville, NC had a friend to look out for oncoming traffic. The “Reserved Accessible Parking” space was the same width as all of the other parallel parking spaces. There was NO access aisle between the van and the sidewalk. Having safe distributed accessible parking is crucial in redeveloping walkable cities.

The ADA Code requires all “Handicapped Parking Spaces” to have an access space next to a car or van for a lift for mobility devices.

In Florida, all Accessible Parking Spaces must be 12 feet wide plus a 5-foot access aisle for a total of 17 feet.

Nationally, ADA requires 8 feet for an accessible car plus an 8-foot access aisle or 11 feet for an accessible van plus 5 feet for an access aisle. All of the Accessible parking spaces require a total of 16 feet in width.

A situation came to my attention today in the City Beautiful. A City that promotes itself as inclusive. A paraplegic, who uses a van with a full lift, purchased an in-fill condominium in a Historic District. The condominium building, a re-purposed award-winning historical retrofit, has individual car parking garages for each unit.

Accessible vans are often taller than a standard garage door. In commercial buildings with parking garages, clearances are mandatory for accessible van parking. In a smaller unit residential building, standard car height individual garages are allowed.

The developer asked the city to allow them to build a van accessible parking space, with an accessible path, to this individuals condo unit door on their own property. The City Historical Board denied allowing the paraplegic woman building a parking space on her property.

The City Historical Boards solution was that they would add a PUBLIC “accessible parking” sign to one of their existing parallel parking spaces on the existing narrow public street.

Parallel on-street parking is NOT accessible, without the added side access aisle. Since the accessible parking space requested was for a van, it would have required 17′ in clear width, which certainly wasn’t available on the street.

This City board saw their “Historical Code” as a priority over Equal Access .

The Department of Justice has worked tirelessly to create the ADA, Americans with Disabilities Act, to assure architectural access for all. It is possible to design historically relevant accessible features and I am available to show any agency how.

Top 10 ADA Access Violations

The parking spot doesn’t meet ADA Code! There is NO 60″ access aisle next to the parking space. This is probably an angry Disabled Person who needed the access space to transfer to their wheelchair or who needed enough room for their walker. Side by side parking limits the space for getting in and out of a car for a person with a mobility disability. Photo by Bonnie Leckow

Even if at first glance they appear simple, depending on the age and size of a property, ADA accessibility violations can add up from a few dozen to a few thousand violations. By documenting all of the access violations, prioritizing which ones to repair first and providing compliance details in one report, Disability Smart Solutions provides an organized compliance action plan for business and building owners to use to bring their properties into compliance.

Many of these ADA non-compliance items are low-cost changes that can be modified by on-site staff.

Disability Smart Solutions is committed to working with organizations and companies who believe in diversity and social inclusion. We are an ADA Accessibility consulting company providing resources to businesses that serve the unique needs of both the 50+ aging population and people living with disabilities.

While parenting a special needs teenager and caring for an elderly parent, she learned the harsh realities of all-ability customer service and architectural barriers to access.

Susan knows that it's one thing to explore a building as an able young person, but it's another to shop, dine, visit the doctor, or vacation as a person living with a disability. Mobility, comprehension, perception, hearing and sight can change in a split second.

Susan believes that exemplary customer service and ease-of-use in Places of Accommodation are key to creating long-term productive employees and life-long happy customers.

His photos star in our "Spot the Service Dog" presentation, where we explain the differences between Services Dogs and Emotional Support Animals.

Serge wants everyone to know that for Places of Public Accommodation:
1. A service dog vest is like a Rock Star t-shirt. It is just informational clothing.
2. The Department of Justice and the ADA do not acknowledge any "Service Dog Certificates."

The ADA only allows two legal questions for businesses.
1. Is the dog or tiny horse a service animal required because of a disability?
2. What work or task has the dog or tiny horse been trained to perform?

A business may ask any animal, including a Service Dog, to leave their facility for bad behavior.

Call Susan to schedule a Service Dog seminar for your organization. 407-310-3663

What is the ADA?

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) gives civil rights protections to individuals with disabilities that are like those provided to individuals on the basis of race, sex, national origin, and religion.

The ADA guarantees equal opportunity for individuals with disabilities in employment, public accommodations, transportation, State and local government services and telecommunications.

Susan P. Berry, NCIDQ, National Council for Interior Design Qualification

National Council of Building Design Certification, Susan P. Berry, CPBD

Disability Smart Solutions is an ADA Consultancy and a service of Susan Berry Design, Inc.
DSS does not practice Law, Architecture, Commercial Interior Design or Engineering.
DSS recommends always using a State Licensed professional for Construction Documents.
DSS recommends always reviewing Disability Discrimination with an Attorney.
Fees and Prices quoted on website are samples and subject to change at any time.
The comments and observations provided within documents provided by Susan Berry Design, Inc. and/or Disability Smart Solutions (SBD/DSS), are for general information & compliance purposes only. SBD/DSS are not licensed attorneys or architects in the State of Florida. We do not claim to be agents, representatives, or licensees of the DOJ (Department of Justice), ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) or any other state or government agency. Any information provided is not intended as professional legal advice, nor does it supersede government authority. Susan Berry Design, Inc., Disability Smart Solutions and/or their assignee's, do not assume any liability for information.

Disclaimer:
ADA Consulting and ADA Inspectors are non-regulated professions.
The International Code Council provides a Certified Accessibility Inspector and Plans Examiner program. Disability Smart Solutions has this certification.
The Department of Justice does not certify or endorse any individual or organization as ADA consultants, nor does the DOJ approve or endorse any products or designs as being in compliance with the ADA.
We DO NOT provide Certificates of ADA Compliance, as we have never been in a facility that maintained 100% ADA compliance.